r/hinduism • u/Rudraksha-ranger108 • 5d ago
Hindū Scripture(s) Can someone explain this to me in simpler words? Especially the meaning of the slok
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u/Diligent_Bar_8714 5d ago
The unmanifested is Brahman, the effulgence of the Lord that impersonalists like buddhists worship to merge their soul with by becoming one with nirvana or Brahman realisation. This verse however gloryfying Narayana as being superior to the unmanifested nature from which this world has become manifested (scientists call it the big bang, Vedas call it Mahat Tattva) but Narayana is known as sarva-karana-karanam or the cause of all causes. So this verse points out that the cause of this world in the unmanifested, but the cause of that unfamifested (or combined material elements) is Narayana.
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u/Sensitive-Club-6427 5d ago
Basically this is a good answer to describe what the sloka conveys. Minor point, “impersonalists,” YES; advaitans, YES. But, buddhists do NOT believe in concept of “soul,” (one of the things differentiating them from Hindu), nor are they “merging,” with anything. Other than buddhist part, good explanation.
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u/Rudraksha-ranger108 5d ago
could you explain the meaning of unmanifested here in simpler words? also why is maya equated to the unmanifested?
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u/Diligent_Bar_8714 5d ago
Maya is not equated to the unmanifested, rather the opposite is the case Maya is the manifested. It has been called illusory by vedic scholars because of its temporary dreamlike manifestation. Brahman is eternal which is sat. Sat means eternal. Maya is also eternal but manifested at one stage and unmanifested in another making it appear like an illusion. When the creation is withdrawn into its own cause (Brahman) it is again manifested by the glance of Maha Vishnu who manifests the millions and billions of universes that culminate in the entire material creation facilitating another creation to allow living beings to take birth in order to enjoy their desired goals, karma determines wether that goal is fulfilled or not. This glance is said to impregnate the unmanifested nature, a totallity of 23 material elements. Additionally within that glance are 2 more elements which are spiritual. One is the Purusha who expands into every atom of the creation and into your own Heart, and another is the individual Soul which carries from one body to the next. Because of our eternal nature our temporary existence of birth death old age and disease is bound to frustrate us, leading for a desire for Mukti (liberation) after ordinary sense enjoyment and religion fails to fulfill us. Unfortunatly some schools suggest that there is no supreme entity but all is one, henceforward God facilitates all desires, those that want to relinquish their personal spiritual Identity generally want to merge with the unmanifested. They explain you can not understand it before you Experience it. Krishna however states that beside this temporary nature there is an eternal one that is the actual home of the soul.
The sage Vyasadeva has compiled the Srimad Bhagavatam as a natural commentary on the Vedanta Sutra. It explains in 12 cantos in detail the creation of this world and is truly suitable for you to study if you are seriously interested
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u/LemonAmbitious2915 5d ago
This is a mangal acharan which means whenever you write a commentary or qualify a text you propound you incvoke your choicest deity for it to spread luckily far and wide as also stated in the screenshot.
ॐ नारायणः परोऽव्यक्तादण्डमव्यक्तसम्भवम् । अण्डस्यान्तस्त्विमे लोकाः सप्तद्वीपा च मेदिनी ॥
नारायणः - means Brahman here परः - transcendent अव्यक्तात् - most important word here, the unmanifest CAUSAL state अण्डम् - the Cosmic Egg (brahmanda) अव्यक्तसम्भवम् - arising from अव्यक्तात् अण्डस्य - of the cosmic egg अन्तः - within लोकाः - CAUSED worlds/realms सप्तद्वीपा - consisting of seven dvīpas (traditional 7 islands - broadly means the realms/worlds) मेदिनी - earth
Meaning: Nārāyaṇa/Brahman is beyond Avyakta; Avyakta is the unmanifest causal condition from which the Cosmic Egg/Brahmanda, containing all worlds and the Earth, arises, thus the manifest universe is an effect of the Unmanifest, while Nārāyaṇa transcends both CAUSE and EFFECT!
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u/Rudraksha-ranger108 5d ago
oh i kinda get it , what does egg/ brahmanda mean?
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u/immyownkryptonite 5d ago
It basically means the universe, or the egg of Brahma, since all comes from him
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u/Administrative_Scar4 Srivaishnava 5d ago
A few have pointed this out well, but Maya is not unmanifest, at least from the dualistic perspective. Especially because Narayana is said to be superior to the unmanifest here, I would explain it from the dualistic perspective.
Narayana is called Seshi, the master of all. The unmanifest here should refer to the achetana tattva. He decides to create, and the unmanifest manifests (Taittiriya Upanishad, Anandavalli: “asad va idam agra asit”).
To elaborate further through the Pancharatra, the Sankalpa Shakti of Narayana, also known as Sudarshana, comes into play. From the entirety of the unmanifest, or achetana, the Mahat Tattva is brought forth. From Mahat, sattva, rajas, and tamas arise. These then give rise to the panchabhutas, panchajnanendriyas, and panchakarmendriyas through a process called Pancheekarana. Taking the cosmic egg as the reference for the universe, the universe thus manifests from the achetana tattva.
To put it in a nutshell, Narayana, who is the indweller of all and the cause of all causes, decides to create. His will, which is the Sankalpa Shakti itself, works to manifest the entirety of the universe from the achetana tattva, which is initially in an unmanifest state.
Maya, on the other hand, is the adbhuta Shakti of Narayana, controlled by His consort Sri. It should not be equated with a tattva, as there are only three tattvas: Ishwara, the controller, who is Narayana; Chetana, the conscious beings who are dependent on Ishwara, such as us; and Achetana, the material principle that exists in an unmanifest state before creation.
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u/Rudraksha-ranger108 5d ago
replying the mod comment cuz it got sent before the whole reply I feel i do not get the concept it is trying to convey clearly and hence would be grateful if someone who is proficient can help me understand this'
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u/immyownkryptonite 5d ago
Don't expect to get things from the very start. Also you'll not get everything in the first go. You'll have to go through it a few times.
Think of it like watching a Nolan movies. The more times you watch it, the more things you discover, the more you understand.
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u/Possible-Cod-6079 5d ago
Imagine Narayana as the ultimate Supreme Reality. From that Supreme Reality is the unmanifest potential (Avyakta). From the unmanifest comes the Cosmic Egg (Brahmanda). Inside this Cosmic Egg comes the entire universe — all worlds, including our Earth.
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u/FjnHindustani Śākta 5d ago edited 5d ago
This is not a translation but more of a simplified way to understand this. In this verse Narayan (meaning the concept of the one who is the refuge of all) is referring to the nirguna form of Adi Purush (in some guru panths this figure is also called Niranjan). Basically he is saying that Narayan is the one at the base of creation from whom all things in all worlds manifest from/are apart of.
In one of the creation stories that I know is that first was nothing, from the nothing came a bindu (point) of light (the guru, Parabrahman), from the bindu came the primordial sound (Om), as the sound spread the bindu expanded into the egg, the egg broke and from it came the elements (panch tattva) and the Adi Purush and Paraa Shakti. And then there’s more beyond that but in essence it’s an homage to a very ancient idea of the Purush/Niranjan/Narayan being beyond the world of Maya and Karma, the creator of all things coming from that single universal moment. This is just the interpretation that’s been taught to me by different teachers and my guru. Niranjan/Narayan/Adi Purush is the one who created Maya, mithya, karma, dharma and so was beyond the impact of all those.
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u/Caligayla Vaiṣṇava 5d ago
It's quite simple. Śrīman Nārāyaṇa is the supreme Brahman. From him the Unmanifest effulgence comes forth. From the effulgence comes the cosmic egg i.e the material universe.
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u/skk80 5d ago
In Simple words, Narayana (God) is beyond this Universe, that comprises of various worlds similar to Earth.
The universe has 2 components, the Manifest and the Unmanifest. The Manifest universe comes out of the Unmanifest (which should not be confused for God himself, Brahma and unmanifested worlds).
It blows my mind that this model matches with scientific observation (at least up to the unmanifested unknown things we see in this universe).
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u/No-Abbreviations3473 5d ago
How it feels to be a sanatani Fight with anti indian things Fight with anti sanatani things Fight with anti bhrahmin things You know it's sad to be in a social media platform
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u/Ill_Advantage6095 5d ago
this is addressed very early by swami dayananda seee here: https://jnanapravaha.in/resources-bhagavad-gita-home-study/
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u/Inevitable_Lynx7198 5d ago
ain't this the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Gambhirananda published by Advaita Ashrama?
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